Katiaesque

  • 9 Black Author Books for Young Readers (2019)

    Combining two wonderful things, books for young readers and Black History Month, I give you a list of 9 worthy reads by African American authors making literary history this year. Some of these are debuts, while others are by authors who have already made their mark and now have more to offer. Some of these…

    Katia Raina

  • What I’ve Learned: MFA in a Nutshell, Part 1

      Hey all! I am, of course, back from my final VCFA residency, a shiny new MFA in hand.  It’s fun to look back on the incredible, enriching, life-changing journey this has been and take a moment to talk about what I’ve learned. First, let me quantify it for you: two years of learning, what exactly did it…

    Katia Raina

  • Long Promised, Not Yet Complete (But Definitely Getting There): List of Best YA Historical Fantasy

    What do you get if you take history and fiction, and add a dash of magic? Fabulous reads rooted in history, filled with mystery and imagination. Time travel, other realms, the 19th century, the 16th or the 20th… possibilities are endless. Below, I offer you the list of the best historical fantasy. I will be working…

    Katia Raina

  • Best Contemporary Historical Fiction YA/Middle-Grade

    1. “The Disappeared” by Gloria Whelan Dial Books, 2008 (set in 1977, Buenos Aires, Argentina, YA) Here is what I thought about it: https://katiaraina.wordpress.com/2010/02/25/the-disappeared-by-gloria-whelan/ And here is my interview with the author: https://katiaraina.wordpress.com/2010/09/03/no-country-is-safe-from-totalitarianism-an-interview-with-author-gloria-whelan/ 2. “When You Reach Me,” by Rebecca Stead, this year’s Newberry! Wendy Lamb Books, Random House, 2009 (set in the 1970s New York City,…

    Katia Raina

  • Best Contemporary Historical Fiction for Adult Readers

    In bookstores and on amazon.com we have so many categories. Romance, mystery, historical titles, contemporary ones, etc. But as of right now, there is no separate category for recent historical fiction. So I am creating one, right here on this little blog. After half a year of searching, sorting, reading and interviewing, I have put together a list of 17…

    Katia Raina